Archive Steam docs; add itch.io upload guide

Move legacy Steam-related docs into documentation/archived and add a new UPLOAD-ITCH.md describing how to publish builds to itch.io with Butler. Update top-level README to state official releases will be on itch.io. Remove Steam-specific UI/features: drop steamCloudOptIn from first-run preferences, remove the Steam Cloud teaser and summary from the setup flow, and adjust settings/setup copy to reference handheld devices and non‑Steam distribution. Also make a small wording tweak in the plugins doc about rendererPreload.

README.md

@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ Nebula may be distributed outside of Steam through platforms such as:
 
 Availability and packaging may change over time and are not guaranteed.
 
+Official releases for Nebula will be published on itch.io; Steam distribution
+is not available due to the Steam review outcome described above.
+
 ---
 
 ## Licensing

documentation/UPLOAD-ITCH.md

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+# Uploading releases to itch.io using Butler
+
+This document explains how to prepare and upload Nebula releases to itch.io using Butler, covering macOS, Windows, and Linux.
+
+## Overview
+
+Butler (itch.io) is the recommended channel for distributing Nebula releases. The process is:
+
+1. Build your platform-specific artifact.
+2. Install and authenticate `butler`.
+3. Push the build to your `username/game:channel` with `butler push`.
+
+## Install Butler
+
+- macOS / Linux / Windows: Download the appropriate Butler binary from the official itch.io Butler releases (follow the official docs). Unpack, make executable, and place it on your `PATH`.
+
+Example (Linux/macOS):
+
+```bash
+# after downloading 'butler' binary
+chmod +x butler
+sudo mv butler /usr/local/bin/
+```
+
+On Windows, place `butler.exe` in a folder on `PATH` or use it directly from the build folder.
+
+## Authenticate
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+butler login
+```
+
+This opens a browser-based authentication flow. Verify with:
+
+```bash
+butler whoami
+```
+
+If automation is required, consult the official Butler docs for API-key/token login options.
+
+## Prepare platform artifacts
+
+macOS
+- Create a zip of your `.app` bundle (keep the `.app` as a top-level item inside the zip):
+
+```bash
+ditto -c -k --sequesterRsrc --keepParent MyApp.app MyApp-mac.zip
+```
+
+Windows
+- Zip the folder containing your `.exe` and runtime files, or create an installer and zip the installer.
+
+```powershell
+Compress-Archive -Path .\build\MyApp\* -DestinationPath MyApp-windows.zip
+```
+
+Linux
+- Create a tarball (or zip) of the Linux runtime files:
+
+```bash
+tar -czf MyApp-linux.tar.gz -C build/linux .
+```
+
+Note: ensure the main binary has executable permissions before archiving.
+
+## Push to itch.io
+
+Basic command:
+
+```bash
+butler push <path> <username>/<game>:<channel>
+```
+
+Examples:
+
+```bash
+# macOS build
+butler push MyApp-mac.zip myuser/nebulabrowser:mac
+
+# Windows build
+butler push MyApp-windows.zip myuser/nebulabrowser:windows
+
+# Linux build
+butler push MyApp-linux.tar.gz myuser/nebulabrowser:linux
+```
+
+Set a release version for itch.io using `--userversion`:
+
+```bash
+butler push MyApp-mac.zip myuser/nebulabrowser:mac --userversion 1.2.3
+```
+
+## Recommended channel strategy
+
+- `stable` or `default` — production releases
+- `beta` — pre-release testing
+- Use platform-specific channels (e.g., `mac`, `windows`, `linux`) if you want separate channels per OS
+
+## Tips
+
+- Keep artifacts small and platform-specific to reduce download size.
+- Verify the upload with `butler whoami` and by visiting your game page on itch.io.
+- When testing on macOS, notarization and Gatekeeper may affect distribution; provide clear install instructions on your itch page.
+
+## Rollback
+
+Butler supports pushing to a channel multiple times; the latest pushed build becomes the current for that channel. To revert, push a previous artifact or use the itch.io web UI to select a previous build.
+
+## References
+
+Consult the official Butler documentation for advanced usage (credentials, automated CI uploads, delta uploads, and platform-specific packaging recommendations).

documentation/archived/GPU-FIX-README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# GPU-FIX-README (archived)
+
+This file was present at repository root and has been archived here for reference. The canonical GPU fix documentation lives under `documentation/`.

documentation/archived/README-PLUGINS.md

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Example:
 Fields:
 - id: Unique id. Defaults to folder name if omitted.
 - main: Optional entry for main process integration.
-- rendererPreload: Optional file injected into the preload. Use it to expose limited APIs.
+- rendererPreload: Optional file injected into the preload. Use it to expose a safe surface to the page.
 - categories: Optional string or array of strings used for organizing/filtering plugins in UI and APIs. Example: ["AI", "Utilities"].
 - authors: Optional string or array of strings/objects describing authors. Objects support { name, email, url }. In APIs/UI, names are displayed.
 - enabled: Defaults to true.

documentation/archived/README-STEAM.md

@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 Converting extracted AppImage (`squashfs-root`) into a distributable AppDir for Steam
 
+> Note: Nebula will not be distributed on the Steam Store. This document is
+> kept for reference and for users who run Nebula via Steam as a non-Steam
+> shortcut. Official distribution will be handled via itch.io and other
+> non-Steam channels.
+
 If your environment lacks `rsync`, use `cp -a` to copy the extracted AppImage into a clean AppDir and prepare it for upload to Steam.
 
 1) Copy the extracted AppImage to an AppDir folder
@@ -77,7 +82,7 @@ Nebula solves this by:
 
 ### Gamepad API (for Developers)
 
-The gamepad handler exposes an API via `window.gamepadAPI`:
+The gamepad handler exposes an API via `window.gamepadAPI`.
 
 ```javascript
 // Check if gamepad handler is initialized
@@ -142,7 +147,6 @@ If Steam is still applying mouse emulation:
    - **Steam Deck / SteamOS Gaming Mode**:
      - Open Nebula → press the Steam button → **Controller Settings** (or the controller icon)
      - Set the layout to a **Gamepad** template (not “Keyboard/Mouse”), or disable Steam Input if the toggle is available
-   - This stops Steam from translating controller input into keyboard/mouse events (“Desktop Layout” behavior).
 
    If you **don’t see a Controller tab** (common when the Steam entry is treated as an “application/tool”):
    - Use **Big Picture / Gaming Mode** and edit the **Controller Layout** for that specific entry.

documentation/archived/README-linux-upload.md

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Linux / SteamOS Build Upload Guide (SteamCMD)
 
+> Note: Nebula will not be distributed on the Steam Store. This Steam upload
+> guide is retained for historical/reference purposes only. Official releases
+> will be published on itch.io and other non-Steam channels.
+
 This guide explains how to upload the **Linux / SteamOS** build of Nebula Browser to Steam using **SteamCMD**. It is tailored to the current project layout on Steam Deck / Linux.
 
 ---

main.js

@@ -612,7 +612,6 @@ async function completeFirstRun(preferences = {}) {
     selectedThemeId: preferences.selectedTheme || 'default',
     defaultBrowserAttempted: preferences.defaultBrowserSet || false,
     defaultBrowserSet: preferences.defaultBrowserSet || false,
-    steamCloudOptIn: preferences.steamCloudOptIn || false,
     completedAt: new Date().toISOString()
   };
   

renderer/settings.html

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
         <!-- Big Picture Mode -->
         <div class="setting-group">
           <h3>Big Picture Mode</h3>
-          <p class="note">A controller-friendly UI designed for Steam Deck and handheld devices.</p>
+          <p class="note">A controller-friendly UI designed for handheld devices (e.g., Steam Deck).</p>
           <div class="setting-row">
             <button id="launch-bigpicture-btn" class="primary-btn">
               <span style="font-size: 18px;"></span> Launch Big Picture Mode
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@
 
         <div class="customization-group">
           <h3>Security Updates</h3>
-          <p class="note" style="margin-bottom: 12px;">Nebula Browser is distributed via Steam, but the Electron runtime can be updated separately for security patches and performance improvements.</p>
+          <p class="note" style="margin-bottom: 12px;">Nebula Browser is distributed via itch.io and other non‑Steam channels; the Electron runtime can be updated separately for security patches and performance improvements.</p>
 
           <div class="stack">
             <!-- Update Status Banner -->

renderer/setup.html

@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@
       </div>
     </div>
 
-    <!-- Step 4: Complete (Future: Steam Cloud) -->
+    <!-- Step 4: Complete -->
     <div class="setup-step" data-step="4">
       <div class="step-content">
         <div class="success-icon">✓</div>
@@ -120,13 +120,8 @@
         <div class="completion-summary" id="completion-summary">
           <!-- Summary will be populated dynamically -->
         </div>
-        <div class="future-feature-teaser">
+        
-          <h3>Coming Soon: Steam Cloud Sync</h3>
+       
-          <p class="teaser-text">
-            <span class="teaser-icon">☁️</span>
-            In Phase 2, you'll be able to sync your bookmarks, settings, and themes across devices using Steam Cloud.
-          </p>
-        </div>
       </div>
       <div class="step-actions">
         <button class="btn btn-primary btn-large" id="btn-finish">Start Browsing</button>

renderer/setup.js

@@ -416,13 +416,6 @@ function renderCompletionSummary() {
         <div class="summary-value">${setupState.defaultBrowserSet ? 'Set as Default' : 'Not Set'}</div>
       </div>
     </div>
-    <div class="summary-item">
-      <div class="summary-icon">☁️</div>
-      <div class="summary-content">
-        <div class="summary-label">Steam Cloud Sync</div>
-        <div class="summary-value">Coming in Phase 2</div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
   `;
 }